It was 37 degrees at noon and the wind was howling and snow blowing for awhile. Fled to my smoking shed where it was 54 degrees.Got a fire going in my little wood burning stove. I got got it up to 66 degrees, but it took awhile. Smoked some "Granger" in me Savinelli Estella. Granger is OK and smokes to a fine ash.
First pipe of the day, GLP Charring Cross in an MM Apple Diplomat along with coffee. I've already roasted a batch of coffee and planted a couple of seed flats.
@mapletop It’s called the “Pipe Doctor”, it’s a reimagined and repurposed “Doctor’s” pattern knife. They are made by Rough Ryder and are very inexpensive, especially compared to most pipe specific knives. Smoky Mountain Knife Works SMKW.com in TN has them. There are a couple different handle scale color patterns as well. The “pill crusher” end can be used as a tamper, and it has a nice long fold out poker. Not to mention the cool little pipe handle inlay. I wish they would have softened/rounded over the edges on the tamper/pill crusher side bolster a bit. One needs to be careful not to bash the pipe rim with a sharp corners of the bolster. I have been contemplating sanding, buffing, and polishing the corners off of mine. I just have not been able to bring myself to working over a new knife.
It’s 70F, and not too windy….yet. It looks like we might get some rain/snow, sometime in the next few days. It’s starting to cloud up a bit now. Since I can sit out on the patio, I decided to smoke a little Big Sky Cigar Co. “Mad Minnow” in a cute (can a cigar be cute?) Salomon vitola. I purchased a few when I was at one of the local tobacconists “Stogie’s”, which was recently bought out by the guys getting the Big Sky Cigars rolled. I’m not a cigar aficionado in any way, but this is a tasty little sucker…I mean minnow😬. It’s got a spicy little kick to it….pretty tasty. This particular cigar had a void at about the half way point, when the ash fell and I lost my cherry in the void….one relight, so far, better than most of my pipe sessions which usually take a few restarts. It’s burning pretty even barring the void mishap. For a little guy, this stogie has a bit of a kick. I also got a surprise when I took off the band😳. By the way, my antique ship’s wheel cigar cutter/ashtray/permanent match worked perfectly on this cigar👍🏻. It’s usually a bit small for today’s larger ring cigars,
I think I need a roach clip…I mean cigar clip. You can’t say I didn’t get my money’s worth🙂. I was a bit surprised, the smoke didn’t get hot at the end, but it did warm up my fingers a bit. I was wondering if I might singe my mustache.
@RockyMountainBriar Looking good my brother. I am not a cigar aficionado either, but now and again I like a good one. Looks like you took that thing to the very the very end. Would you buy it again? I do like a Macanudo Maduro, ever try those? It's getting warmer down here in the south, no worries about snow 😂🤣
I'm just finishing my first pipe, an MM Honeypot filled with GH DVC, and my first cup of black coffee. I watched a couple of videos on stem making since I've been unhappy with the plastic taste from Forever stems, I want to make some from vulcanite blanks for my cobs.
@Whoispra I went and found my 10+ year old jar of 1-Q and loaded up my chubby Pete “Dublin Edition” B50. This tobacco has change dramatically and is not as harsh/sharp as I remember. It’s been many years since I have smoked it since I was not impressed with it at all. I enjoyed RLP-6 much more. It must be a bit moist still, as it is not wanting to stay lit, I will preserver. I will say, it is much, much better now with the age on it. It’s much sweeter, pretty dang tasty. Interesting, I thought I was getting a bit of smokiness, so I had to look at the blend description again….sure enough, it says “hint of fire-cured”.
@RockyMountainBriar wait a minute now. Are you saying 1-Q has fire cured in it!? Would have never guessed if that’s the case. But every new thing I try gives me more context for the things that came before which is really interesting. I’m glad you enjoyed it though. That’s a win. I finished a bowl of Autumn Evening just now in my MM Country Gentleman. To me it’s one of the better aromatics I’ve ever had. It is very sweet no doubt about that but the Virginias are present which I appreciate. I won’t mind having it around but I do think the strength of the maple and may keep it from being a daily driver. I have small storage jars so I’ll be having more bowls to use up what’s left in the tin. We will see if it grows on me or becomes tiresome.
Years ago I stopped into Gold Leaf Tobacco on the NH seacoast, I had just returned to pipes and was looking for a replacement for Black and Gold that I bought from the closed Boston landmark, Ehrlich's. The owner had lived in Boston, worked in the photo industry as I had, and frequented the same tobacco shops I enjoyed. He told me that Black and Gold was 1-Q so I bought some and off I went. It was horrible, the last half of the pipe was acrid! I went back and asked if he was sure and the conversation about tobaccos continued for a while. The main thing I remember was the question "Don't you like the taste of tobacco?" I left with three or four bulk choices none of which was an aromatic and to this day I avoid them.
My question to aromatic smokers. If you don't like the taste of tobacco why don't you suck on a piece of candy instead of a pipe?
@Balisong@Londy3 I can't speak for all aromatic smokers but personally I haven't found a blend type I don't like. I haven't tried them all so there may come a time when i say this just isn't for me. I like to mix it up and most of the aromatics I like are the least "goopy" and do still taste like tobacco at some level. But wouldn't it be valid to say if you like the flavor of tobacco couldn't you just use chewing tobacco or buy a plug and bite off a chunk? Maybe those aromatic exclusive smokers just like the aesthetic or the ritual but like you they're making the choices to get those flavors via a pipe. No different than people who like coke vs. mt. dew or who like cheeseburgers but don't like chinese food. It's all personal taste.
I haven't posted on this thread in a while because you all know what I smoke--CRF, Burley Flake #2, Interlude, Opening Night, or Edisto, and its the same ole same ole every time...that said, I just wanted to say that regardless of what I smoke (just finished CRF in fact), after nearly 40 years of pipe smoking, my fucking cobs are by far the best smokers I have. Out of all the briars I have, the cheap ass cobs ($15 to $25) are really kick ass. Just wanted to say that...what drove me to say it? Probably the 4 beers I've already had today--I had meetings all this morning, so I had to start drinking early.
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Playing in the studio after doing some work around the house. Taking a little break with LL7 in the Molina and a little red 😎
It’s called the “Pipe Doctor”, it’s a reimagined and repurposed “Doctor’s” pattern knife. They are made by Rough Ryder and are very inexpensive, especially compared to most pipe specific knives. Smoky Mountain Knife Works SMKW.com in TN has them. There are a couple different handle scale color patterns as well. The “pill crusher” end can be used as a tamper, and it has a nice long fold out poker. Not to mention the cool little pipe handle inlay. I wish they would have softened/rounded over the edges on the tamper/pill crusher side bolster a bit. One needs to be careful not to bash the pipe rim with a sharp corners of the bolster. I have been contemplating sanding, buffing, and polishing the corners off of mine. I just have not been able to bring myself to working over a new knife.
Go ahead and take your shot @vtgrad2003, I set it up for you😉
Looking good my brother. I am not a cigar aficionado either, but now and again I like a good one. Looks like you took that thing to the very the very end. Would you buy it again? I do like a Macanudo Maduro, ever try those? It's getting warmer down here in the south, no worries about snow 😂🤣
Yes, I would buy it again👍🏻. I have not tried a Macanudo Maduro.
You should!
That Peterson B10... the list continues to get longer...🙂
I went and found my 10+ year old jar of 1-Q and loaded up my chubby Pete “Dublin Edition” B50. This tobacco has change dramatically and is not as harsh/sharp as I remember. It’s been many years since I have smoked it since I was not impressed with it at all. I enjoyed RLP-6 much more. It must be a bit moist still, as it is not wanting to stay lit, I will preserver. I will say, it is much, much better now with the age on it. It’s much sweeter, pretty dang tasty. Interesting, I thought I was getting a bit of smokiness, so I had to look at the blend description again….sure enough, it says “hint of fire-cured”.
more context for the things that came before which is really interesting. I’m glad you enjoyed it though. That’s a win. I finished a bowl of Autumn Evening just now in my MM Country Gentleman. To me it’s one of the better aromatics I’ve ever had. It is very sweet no doubt about that but the Virginias are present which I appreciate. I won’t mind having it around but I do think the strength of the maple and may keep it from being a daily driver. I have small storage jars so I’ll be having more bowls to use up what’s left in the tin. We will see if it grows on me or becomes tiresome.
I have seen that Autumn Evening gets some pretty high aromatic reviews, but I’m not a fan of maple, so I have steered around it🙂.
I just can't see how these are so popular. Those are the two of my least favorite tobaccos. Meh
My question to aromatic smokers. If you don't like the taste of tobacco why don't you suck on a piece of candy instead of a pipe?
I’ll smoke whatever the hell I want, aromatics included, and I eat candy to. You can suck on, or not, whatever the hell you want.